Building construction for toys



Feb 9, 1926.;

. 1,572,659 J. M. A. LARKIN BUILDING CONSTRUCTION FOR TOYS Filed Jan. 30, 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 .I NV TOR Q, .0. 21A;

Feb. 9, 1926. 1,572,659

J. M. A. LARKIN BUILDING CONSTRUCTION FOR TOYS Filed Jan. 30, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 7 NVENTOR W4mf% ATTORNEY 7 tion and arrangz Patented Feb. 9, 1926.

JOSEPH M. A. LARKIN, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

BUILDING CONSTRUCTION FOR TOYS.

Applicationfiled. January 30, 1923. Serial No..615,823.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J osnrn M. A. LARKIN, a citizen oi the United States, residing at New York, county of New York, and State of New York, have made a certain new and useful Invention in Building Construction for Toys, of which the following is a specification;

This invention relates to an improved construction which may be utilized for the building of toys and the like, one embodiment being a sectional and multiplying unit doll house. i

The object of the invention is to provide etlicient, simple andseparable construction elements to Form and construct toy or doll houses and the like, which maybe fastened together by a brad or bolt, thereby adapting the same to be readily-and quickly assembled-or (.llStlSSBlTll'JlGtl by a small child. A further object'ot the invention is to provide a minimum number of construction elements for a doll house, or the like, which when assembled forms a simple and exceedingly rugged and strong structure.

A further object of the invention is to provide construction elements to form or construct toys, doll houses and the like, which when disassembled can be packed or stored in a small space.

A further object otthe invention is to provide separableconstruction elements for said toy houses which per nit the building of extensions or additions to the house or part prei-iously constructed.

' Further objects of the invention will appear more fully hereinafter.

ith the foregoing and other ohiects in view, which will appear more fully hereinafter, the invention resides in the combin'a ment of parts, and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it bein understood, however, that while the drawin s Show the invention applied to the construction of a. doll house, the same maybe applied to the construction of miniature furniture, bridges, toys and other construct-ions, without departing from the spirit or scopeof my invention.

Referring to the accompanying drawings,

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a doll house constructed in accordance with my in vention; a

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of acorner of a doll house construction, with the side walls removed, showing the manner in which the several elements of the construction areconnected together Fig. 3 is a detail showing the manner of connecting two strips made in accordance with my invention to form a corner joint in a toy construction;

Fig. 4 is a vertical section in part of a unit built in accordance with my invention;

Fig. 5 shows partial detail views of the construction of strips used in toy construction in accordance with my invention;

Fig. 6 is a plan view of the connecting element employed to bind the strips together before the same have been shaped;

Fig. 7 is aplan view of a form of roof s ructure which may be employed in connection with the construction of a doll house or the like, made in accordance withmy invention;

Fig. 8 is a plan view of a .floor or ceiling, which may be used in constructing a house or the like built with the construction elements of my invention, showing the manner of connecting same to the strips;

Fig. 9 is a partial sectional view of the upper corner of a unit built in accordance with my invention, showing the manner of connecting the roof to said unit.

In accordance with my invention the construction elements employed, to form and construct toys and the like. and in the particular embodiment shown in the drawings,

for the construction of'a doll house, I provide principally three elements, a strip 1 which is used for beams, joists and uprights in building the. framework of the structure; a connecting element 2, which uscdto brace or reinforce the when two or more strips are joinedtogether, and also to provide connecting means for additional strips to build extensions onto a particular unit; and a panel 3, which is made to simulate the side walls or partitions in a doll house or the like.

In addition to these elements there may be employed a floor or ceiling panel 12, and a roof structure 24.

The strips 1 are made'of wood or cardboard of any desired dimension, and are utilized, as above stated, to form the frame 'c-rk of a desired toy structure. The strips have depressed portions 5 at either end thereof, and a hole 6 is provided through said depressed port-ion. The holes 6 are placed so as to have registering relation with each other when. the depressed portion of one strip is placed over the cor responding depressed portion of another strip. 7

The connecting element 2 maybe made of cardboard or tin, or other suitable pliable material, which may be bent or shaped, and

is formed in squares a quarter of which.

square is of the same area as the depressed portion in said strips. One half of said square is cut asshown at 7, so that the square when folded on the lines 8 and 9, will allow the quarter lO'of said square to fold over the quarter 11. it is obvious that instead of employing a square, other shapes whose sides vary in dimensions may be utilized in the same manner, the shape of the connecting element depending upon the type of construction used. Where a; square is used, the four quarto of said square are provided with holes, therefhroiugli :"ctheir centers. These holes are of the same dianietcr as the holes (5 in said strips, and 111': adapted to register therewith, when the folded connecting element is placed thereover, as clearly shown in Fig.

The stri )s l and the connectins element 2, are fastened together by any. suitable connecting means, as a brad or staple, shown at 23; t f

The panels 8, are made of wood, cardboard, or other suitable material, and of such dimension that they fit the openings formed by the framework when they same has been erected. These panels are painted or printed, or otherwisetreated to simulate either the outside or inside walls of the doll house, or the like, and are adapted to be detachably hinged to the upper strips of a framework constructed with said strips, as illustrated at t. T he hinges may be made of any desired shape or type, but preferably of a type which will allow the ready detaching of the panel from the strip.

he floor or ceiling panel 12 shown in 8 is provided with clips 13, which are secured thereto, and adapted to engage the I strips 1 of the framework, which forms the support for said floor or ceiling panel.

The roof construction may be constructed in any form so as to have any desired pitch or configuration. One type of roof con struction 2 1 is illustrated in Fig. 7 In this type, the roof in plan is cut out of wood or cardboard in the shape illustrated, so that the sides 14: are adapted to be folded down on the dotted lines 15, 16, 17 and 18, thereby allowing their edges 19 tocome together. The sides 14 are provided with flanges 20, which are bent so as to fitin cut out portions 21. in said ceiling or floor panel 12.

Having described the various elements of the construction contemplated by my invention, it can be seen that in the construc t-ion of a doll house withthese units, the

strips 1, are joined together at their depressed portions by fastening them and the connecting element 2 together by means of a brad, bolt or other suitable connecting means-projecting through the holes provided in these elements.

' The connecting element 2 being threesided allows the building up of further strips thereon, as clearly shown in Fig. 2, when the strip indicated at 21 forms the upright for a second floor of a house. j

After the frameworkof the house or the like has been built up in this manner, the floors and ceilings may be put in place by connecting the same to thebeam stripsby means of clips 13. The roof may then be put in place by inserting the flanges 20 in the cut out slits 21 ofthe upper ceiling.

When the floors and ceilings have been placed, the panels simulating the outside .iftl inside walls of the house are attached to the strips by means of the hinges 4t.

. It will be seen from the above description that there has been provided a simple and edicient toy construction comprisedof a tiiinimum number of parts easily assembled and disassembled, and whlch when assembled presents a sturdy structure w1th its joints and corners reinforced by a connecting element which also allows the building on to any unit in which it is utilized. It is also seen that by reason of the hinged connection of the wall panels, a child may have access to the interior of the house, and is thereby enabled to play with the dolls, toys, furniture or the like, placed on the inside of the structure. The panel may also be removed and another panel of different decoration be placed on the structure, according to the desire of the child.

lVhile I have specifically described my invention as embodied in a single physical structure, it is to be understood that I desire to protect the novel features of the invention when applied to any toy building structure irrespective of its shape or plan. \Vhat I claim is:

1. A building construction for toys com- .prising a plurality of. reinforcing elements,

rectangular strips having depressed end portions, the depressed portions of adjacent strips engaging with each other, and one of said reinforcing elements, and secured to and held by said reinforcing element to form the frame work of said construction detachably hinged to said framework so formed.

2. A building construction for toys comprising a plurality of reinforcing elements, rectangular stubs having shaped portions at their ends, said shaped portions of adjacent stubs engaging with each other and one of said reinforcing elements, and secured to and held by said reinforcing element to form the frame work of said construction, said reinforcing elements adapted to engage with and be secured to additional strips to enlarge said frame work, and panels forming the side Walls of said c0nstruction detachably hinged to said framework to form the side walls thereof.

3. A building construction for toys comprising a plurality of reinforcing elements, rectangular strips having depressed end portions, said shaped portions of adjacent strips engaging with each other and one of said reinforcing members and secured to and held by said reinforcing element to form the framework of said construction, panels detachably hinged to said framework to form the side walls thereof, and panels also detachabl secured to said framework to form the floors and ceilings thereof.

4. A building construction for toys comprising a plurality of reinforcing elements, rectangular strips having depressed end portions, the depressed portions of adjacent strips engaging with each other, and one of said reinforcing elements and secured to and held by said reinforcing elements to form the framework of said construction panels forming the side walls and ceilings of said construction detaehably secured to said framework and a roof detachably secured to one of said ceiling panels.

ceilings of said construction detachably secured to said framework, and a roof c011- struction detachably secured to one of said ceiling panels.

6. A building construction for toys, comprising a plurality of three sided reinforcing elements, rectangular strips having depressed end portions, the depressed end p01" tions of adjacent strips engaging With each other, and the sides of said reinforcing element and secured to and held by said sides to form the framework of said construction and side and ceiling panels detachably secured to said framework so formed.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand on this 29th day of January, A. D.

JOSEPH M. A. LARKIN. 

